Cataracts disappointment

I also have cataracts developing. My optician told me last week that mine were not at the stage where the NHS would agree to an operation. I thought that was interesting. My DM had hers done and all went very well. I remember her saying after hers were done she realised how grubby her house was!

They do each eye on separate occasions - just in case there are complications. Local anesthetic and, yes, you have to be awake but you don't really "see", or feel, anything happening. I think I had a mild sedative but can't remember now. Entirely painless. The wonderful part is when you are allowed to see again everything is crystal clear, just as it must have been when you were a baby. Over time the lens gets covered with protein, I understand, which blurs you vision slightly. Just Do It - I promise you will be so glad you did!

I am totally sympathetic, was also made nauseous by the thought of eye stuff. Ugh!

However....

In 2019 I went blind in one eye, happened overnight. I panicked, put off doing anything for a week, then went to the doctor and was sent to Specsavers. They said I had a huge thick cataract - they can apparently come on very quickly - and referred me for surgery.

I was terrified! Got some anti-anxiety medicine from the GP beforehand. And - it was okay, actually. Quite fast, didn't hurt, the recovery was simple, and I can see perfectly well out of my right eye. Now I'm developing one in my left eye but it's very slow and not yet ready for surgery. And I wish I could have it done now!

My sister had exactly the same experience as me, obviously it's genetic.

Our optometrist is a family member. He says that most people over 60 have cataracts. Not all will need surgery. It's not a failure on your behalf, it's just life, like wrinkles and age-spots. If you're eyesight is troubling you due to the cataracts, I hope that you will overcome your concerns and have them removed. It is life-changing for many people and very safe.

grannydarkhair

It’s always a jolt to be told something concerning about your health, so I can understand how you feel, especially as your brothers had the same condition.
I don’t know anyone who has regretted having the surgery, especially now that prescription lenses are used.
It’s easy to say ‘try not to think about it’, because it’s obviously something that you’d rather not have to contend with.
Whenever the time comes, things will be sorted out with comparative ease. You’ll not look back and if you do, it’ll be with much improved vision!

I'm not sure they need to 'ripen'. I had very early cataracts removed plus new lenses at the same time as I was so short sighted. Perfect vision now. I did have to go privately but the cost of contact lenses and glasses every year at a very high prescription soon covered the cost.

The eyes are very receptive to pain relief eye drops and honestly you don't feel any pain at all. You know someone's doing something with your eye but there is NO PAIN.
All you see is darkness and a little light that you're asked to focus on and although your eye in clamped open they keep pouring a stream of liquid (saline I think) into it all the time so you don't need to blink.
And the replacement lens can restore your vision to normal if you're lucky, I still need specs because my vision needed more complex correction.

I've never smoked, and drink alcohol.v occasionally furthermore I always have a good diet, despute this I developed angina and heart disease at 32, then diabetes and low thyroid, it's the luck of the genetics draw sadly. I have very early cataracts detected at diabetic screening, but my optician said they are too early to consider and he wouldn't have told me if he'd seen them. Take heart it's nothing you've done wrong and it's easily fixed these days

I had surgery for a macular hole 3 years ago with cataract removed at same time. Surgery a dawdle, absolutely didn't feel a thing. In earky August opticial advised tge cataract in my otger eye is prigressing and with the reduced clarity in the mac hole eye she feels the cataract should be removed now. Howevercshe knows the NHS will not consider cataract removal until it is really bad. Prepared to make a referral but knows it will be bounced back as not urgent, no account taken of mac hole issue. In all the years of practice she cannot believe she is now suggesting to people to consider private treatment. I have been for examination, two consultants involved, one specialising in mac hole surgery for his opinion on carrying out cataract removal when slight signs of mac hole developing in my "good" eye. Given the go ahead. Surgery planned for later this month. Wonderful, thorough service in my opinion. Once I was eventually at the full cataract stage I'd have 13 weeks to wait for an exam appointment then 39 weeks for surgery, a year with my local NHS system. I have absolutely no fears of the surgery. Stop making it worse for yourself.

I’m 76, about 10 years ago at an eye test the optician told me I had the start of cataracts in both eyes. I was surprised to hear this as no one had mentioned it during my yearly appointments at the Midlands Eye centre (I have some small holes in the retina of both eyes). The optician said most people of my age have the start of these and the hospital don’t say anything unless they need operating on.
It’s never been mentioned again at further eye tests.

I understand your distress at being told you have cataracts. I felt the same when the specialist first told me - I even shed a few tears, partly because I dreaded the "waitng for them to ripen" However, when I asked him about that, he told me that they do not wait these days (and this was about 15 years ago). I eventually had both eyes done with corrective lenses inserted, and what a revelation! After being tied to strong spectacles since the age of 7, I have near perfect vision and only need glasses for reading. So try not to worry about it but make sure you have the sedative, if offered, for the operation.

I had cataracts removed from both eyes during lockdown and so glad I had it done. It was a bit uncomfortable but the result is amazing... my vision is so much better, like someone has turned the lights on. I was only 62!

Please don’t worry. I’ve had cataracts removed from both eyes I was sedated a bit. No pain at all
I have perfect 20/20 vision in my left eye and can read with my right eye. Best of both worlds. No more glasses which I’ve worn since I was 7

I was terrified to have mine done and found it was not as bad as going to the Dentist

The waiting for them to ripen is to help with waiting list stats. If they don't put you on the list they can claim the list is shorter than it should be. Medically it has no meaning at all. In general it makes sense to have the surgery as soon as they start to give you problems (e.g. night driving) but there is absolutely no reason why they should not be sorted earlier if you wish - but you will finish up going private.

Also there is a move now to get them both done at the same sitting. I had this and it was fine. It saved going around for weeks with cock-eyed sight.

Please oh please, Have any of you grans who have had cataracts removed also showed signs of Macular degeneration?
About 15 years ago I developed a macular hole which was 'repaired' and the incipient cataract treated at the same time
Vision was much improved ( could read small newsprint) until some 7 years later I was forced to walk through some extensive roadworks with clouds of dust and tarmac being laid. The same eye became very red and sore within a few minutes only of passing through the roadworks.
The GP could not help and I was referred to a hospital where I saw a series of ophthalmic consultants. The conclusion was that they could do nothing much apart from keeping me 'comfortable'.
I can now do very little more than differentiate between light and dark with this damaged Left eye. and use analgesics for the comfortable aim ( I suggested these as the main consultant said my condition could NOT cause pain..... American websites appear to differ from this
My Right eye has been monitored and I have been told I have both AMD and a cataract in this lens

I am scared. My vision is still 20/20 ( R eye) although I now need to concentrate harder to see
Does a cataract operation cause speedier development of the AMD? The doctors think it will be very unlikely that I lose the vision in my R eye BUT how do I prepare for that possibility and also that of becoming blind

Is there anyone there, who, having lost their vision in one eye,,,.... being afflicted with macular degeneration in the other and then went ahead with a cataract operation without further deterioration. I must make a decision very soon and do not know whether to hang on until things become even dimmer

any advice please? But as I have not yet managed to follow any thread on here beyond the original page, I am also keeping my fingers crossed that any responses will be found and someone can give me hope

I am 83 and carer for my 91 yo husband Technically the hospital staff are probably very competent but psychologically i am not sure where I am going

No one can ever stave off the natural progression of cataracts. Sometimes it takes years for them to “ripen” - a stage where you can no longer see clearly. Cataracts do not change your actual 20/20 vision, instead causes a film and fog to obscure your vision.

Do not fear the removal procedure. You won’t feel anything as you are under anesthesia. You will awaken to bright clear vision. Only one eye is done at a time, so you will return if/when the second is ready.

I was SO GRATEFUL to have my vision restored! It’s a life changer, that is for sure. If you are that anxious about it, you need to talk to people who’ve undergone the procedure. Why limit yourself when you could have quality of life.
USA Gundy

I was told in my late 50’s that I had the start of cataracts ….I’m just 63 and last year my eyes deteriorated so badly it affected my life …I couldn’t see the tv and my driving was starting to be affected. I had the first one done about 3 months ago….it was absolutely amazing …nothing to be worried about and the result is fantastic. I’m due to have my other one done next week….it’ll be great to be able to see properly again. I will just need glasses for reading now…don’t worry x

I was the same as you when i was told about 4 years ago that i had cataracts developing. I was utterly bereft!! I had to take my mother when she was in her 80’s to have hers done and can remember thinking ‘ i REALLY DONT WANT TO HAVE THIS DONE!!! Ugh!
But this year at the age of 66 I had both done at the same time under general anaesthetic ( i have a neck tremor apparently)and am so glad it was done!! I can see!! Its made such a difference. You don’t realise how bad your sight is when it is very very slowly being eroded.
Mine were so bad that it was affecting my balance and i also couldn’t drive anymore,
So please don’t be scared just go for it, get it done as soon as you can!!

If you feel that bad at the thought of a cataract operation, how would you feel over something serious such as kidney, liver, or heart transplant

The first I knew was when my new optician ( his partner having retired) said to me "well your cataracts aren't any worse"!!! My DH is starting with them too. He finds driving at night difficult because of on coming headlights.
TBH I have a friend who recently had hers removed. She has become so evangelical about how wonderful the process is that I find myself almost looking forward to them being bad enough to be removed.

I am puzzled as to why people are "bereft", "disappointed" etc. I can honestly say that I did not bat an eyelid (!) when I knew I had cataracts. I knew so many people who had had them operated on simply, painlessly and successfully, as I now have.

It is honestly not in the least traumatic. Sit in chair, have some drops and a little "bead" of local anaesthetic plopped under your eyelid, sit a bit longer and it is done!

It is a modern miracle.

I have a number of other eye problems too, which in time will not be so easily solved - I am just so thankful that this was. We are so lucky that the beginning of cataracts does not spell deterioration into blindness as it once did.

The operation itself is 100% pain free and nothing at all to be worried about, 10/15 minutes its all over and done with. I recently had both of my eyes done, but there has been a downside to my op. as now my eyes aren't coordinating with one another! I have been prescribed prism lenses for both reading and distance to rectify the problem, which is something I certainly didn't expect, especially for distance!🧐

Lizbethann55 - the glare your husband experiences at night from oncoming headlights is caused by the foggy diffusionary film of glaucoma - yes. It’s that halo effect around the headlights that is so disarming.

But it could also be an indicator of another eye problem - glaucoma. My ophthalmic surgeon discovered my glaucoma during my pre-op checkup for cataract surgery! She was a lifesaver, for as you know undetected and untreated glaucoma means you WILL go blind - and that lost eyesight can NEVER be recovered.

I’m grateful for the early detection and I’ve preserved and am maintaining my cataract free 20/20 eyesight and normal pressures status-quo. I live a normal life because of it, although sun glare, headlights will always be a pesky side effect of the big G.

Have regular ophthalmic appointments to monitor your sight - especially as you get older.

Granny dark hair I have had both mine done when I was 68 due to excessive computer use ( work during Covid🤬)
I had both done within 4 weeks of each other , honestly it was amazing and have never regretted it